Long on the radar as Dale backline told to wise up

Assistant manager Jimmy Bell has told the Rochdale defence to wise up if they want to keep their place. Dale missed out on the chance of a top-three place last weekend as they lost 3-1 at Southend, the sixth game in which they’d failed to keep a clean sheet.

Assistant manager Jimmy Bell has told the Rochdale defence to wise up if they want to keep their place.

Dale missed out on the chance of a top-three place last weekend as they lost 3-1 at Southend, the sixth game in which they’d failed to keep a clean sheet.

John Coleman has been away for a few days this week but Bell oversaw double training sessions on Monday and Tuesday in a bid to tighten things up.

"We let ourselves down because it was another game we should have won," said Coleman’s number two. "For an hour, everything was perfect, but it all came undone in one minute of madness. We were a bit naive.

"There were a couple of throw-ins where we didn’t mark up properly, one for and one against. We didn’t do the basics.

"We’ve got to get a bit more consistency into our game. People are doing their jobs but then switching off at vital moments."

Ahead of today’s clash with York City, Bell is confident he and Coleman can remedy Dale’s defensive ailments on the training ground – but there is also the prospect of recruiting in January, with Burnley defender Kevin Long firmly on their radar.

"We’ve made no secret of that," Bell added. "At the moment we don’t have the budget but if we move someone on then maybe we can bring him in."

Coleman and Bell have taken the 22-year-old Irishman on loan at Accrington and Dale over the last two years.

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